A former Minister of Sports and Youth, Solomon Dalung, believes the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has people who can defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, saying beating the Nigerian leader in next year’s poll requires a collective effort.
Dalung said this on Sunday Politics, a current affairs programme aired on Channels Television, attributing his enthusiasm to the calibre of politicians on parade in the ADC.
“So I think we have so many people to challenge Tinubu,” the lawyer, who served as minister under the immediate past leadership of President Muhammadu Tinubu, said on the show.
“I can determine to contest the election, and I will challenge him.”
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The ADC, which was last year adopted by the opposition coalition as its platform, houses some top politicians.
Some of them include ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar; ex-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi; a former governor of Rivers State and ex-minister, Rotimi Amaechi; ex-minister and former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola; a former national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), John Odigie-Oyegun; and a former Senate President, David Mark, among other bigwigs.
Critics argue that the ADC may implode after its presidential primary, given the array of politicians on the party’s membership roster.
The APC, which enjoys the membership of 30 governors and an overwhelming majority in the National Assembly, has waved off claims that the ADC would challenge them in next year’s election.
However, Dalung said those in the opposition party are united in the pursuit of their purpose: defeat Tinubu in the next election. This is irrespective of who emerges as the ADC presidential candidate.
“We are going to conduct a transparent primary, and we have also resolved that whoever wins a transparent primary will be the person all of us support to challenge Tinubu,” he said.
“So, challenging Tinubu is not an individual issue. It’s not the issue of the candidate; it’s the issue of the party. That resolution has been issued and approved.”
Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, won the 2023 presidential election, beating Atiku, Obi, and several other contenders.
With the 2027 elections about one year away, the APC rank has continued to swell with governors, National Assembly members, state lawmakers, and others joining the ruling party.
The main opposition People Democratic Party (PDP) has seen its ranks depleted, and a plethora of internal grumblings have further deepened the division within the party.
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